Odisha Opposition Leader Naveen Patnaik Slams Union Government Over Cuttack Hospital Fire
Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday sharply criticized the Union government for its silence regarding the devastating fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, which claimed the lives of twelve patients on March 16. Patnaik reiterated his demand for the resignation of Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling, even as Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress members sustained their protest inside the Odisha legislative assembly.
Patnaik Expresses Shock Over Lack of Union Minister Visits
Speaking to reporters, Naveen Patnaik expressed profound shock at the Union government's inaction. "I find it shocking that even after nine days of the terrible deaths at SCB, not even one Union minister has visited the hospital in Cuttack. This is truly shocking," the former Chief Minister stated. He drew a stark comparison, recalling that during a similar incident at a private medical college under his administration, multiple Union ministers had promptly visited the site.
Holding the state government directly accountable for the tragedy, Patnaik emphasized that the BJD would persist with its protests. "You can see the number of deaths and the tragedy that has taken place," he added, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
BJP MLA Accuses BJD of Political Maneuvering
Countering Patnaik's allegations, BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathy accused the BJD of exploiting the fire incident to obstruct assembly proceedings and conceal internal party conflicts. "The assembly runs on taxpayers' money to debate people's issues. If the BJD is sincere, it should raise the hospital deaths issue inside the assembly instead of staging protests," Tripathy asserted.
He further alleged that the BJD was using the hospital fire as a diversionary tactic to shift focus from internal disagreements. These disputes reportedly involve the formation of a trust in New Delhi using the names of Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik, an issue that surfaced prior to the recent Rajya Sabha elections.
Assembly Protests Intensify Amid Government Indifference
BJD MLA Arun Sahoo reinforced the opposition's stance, labeling the hospital issue as critically serious and accusing the government of displaying indifference. Inside the assembly, opposition MLAs escalated their protests by storming into the well, brandishing placards, and vociferously chanting slogans. Their primary demand remained the immediate resignation of Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling.
The ongoing demonstrations highlight a deepening political rift over the handling of the Cuttack hospital fire, with opposition parties leveraging the tragedy to challenge both state and Union governments on their responsiveness and accountability in public health crises.
